Lens assembly parts and assemblies therefrom

ABSTRACT

A set of lens assembly parts which contains a base and a frame and at least one or more of a lens, fasteners for securing the lens between the base and the frame, a mask, and a strap. Lens assemblies formed from the set of lens assembly parts.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a set of lens-assembly parts for a protective goggle and to lens assemblies formed therefrom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Eye protection in sports, industry, military and police activities typically involves use of a goggle or lens assembly, often in association with a face mask in order to fully cover the face and the sides of the user's head. To prevent eye injury from impact by projectiles, splashed or projected liquids, and other flying objects, the lens is securely mounted in such assemblies to prevent dislodgement or disengagement from the assembly. Goggles or goggle-mask systems combinations are difficult to disassemble for changing lenses or for cleaning. The present invention addresses this problem, and provides a set of lens-assembly parts for easy assembly/disassembly for replacement and/or cleaning the lens, replacement of other portions of the assembly, and for cleaning the assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention is directed to sets of lens assembly parts and lens assemblies formed from the sets. In one aspect, a set of lens assembly parts comprises a base which is shaped to fit over the eyes and which has a lens receiving portion. The base as well as a frame comprise opposite temple portions. The frame is shaped for registration with the base unit. A lens, which is shaped to be positioned and secured between the base and the frame, may be included in the set. The opposite temple portions of the frame and the base comprise fasteners for tensioning the base against the frame for securing the lens. A fastener may be formed from registration openings which are formed in the frame and the base, and in which openings protrusion-retention elements (e.g. twist locks) are positioned. A version of the set of assembly parts contains a mask, which after assembly, is attached to the base. The set may contain a strap sized for fitting a lens assembly, which is made from the set of parts, to the head of the user.

[0004] Subjects of the invention include lens assemblies formed from various combinations of lens-assembly parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0005]FIG. 1 is a front view of a base.

[0006]FIG. 2 is a side view of a base

[0007]FIG. 2a is a perspective view of a lens.

[0008]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a frame.

[0009]FIG. 4a is an exploded view of a lens assembly formed from a set of lens-assembly parts without a lens.

[0010]FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a lens assembly formed from a set of lens assembly parts including a lens.

[0011]FIG. 6 shows various views of a twist cam lock fastener and a strap.

[0012]FIG. 7: there is no FIG. 7.

[0013]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a mask.

[0014]FIG. 9 is a front view of a lens assembly which includes a mask.

[0015]FIG. 10 is a side view of a lens assembly which includes a mask.

[0016]FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a lens assembly.

[0017]FIG. 12 is a perspective exploded view of a lens assembly.

[0018]FIG. 13 shows holes in the mask and channels formed in the base in cooperation to form a ventilation system and illustrating air flow.

[0019]FIG. 14 is a fan housing which is included in the set of lens assembly parts.

[0020]FIG. 15 show side views of the base and the air ventilation system.

[0021]FIG. 16 discloses an exploded view of the base and fan housing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND THE INVENTION

[0022] In one aspect, the subject invention involves a set of parts for forming a lens-assembly. Included in the invention are lens-assemblies formed from the set of parts.

[0023] The set of lens-assembly parts of the invention involves a base 15 which is formed of rigid or flexible plastic (FIGS. 1 and 2). The base is shaped to fit over the eyes. Formed in the base is a shelf 30 which is configured for receiving a lens 20 (FIG. 2a). This shelf or lens receiving portion 30 defines a lens opening 35. Opposite temple portions 40 of the base extend rearward from the lens opening, and terminate in base terminal sections 45. A frame 25 (FIG. 3), also formed from rigid or flexible plastic material, is configured for mating alignment or engagement with a lens 20 to be positioned in the lens receiving portion 30 of the base. An opening 50 in the frame 25 registers with the lens opening 30 in the base 15. Opposite temple portions 40 of the frame extend rearward from the frame opening and terminate in frame terminal sections 60. In the lens assembly 10 formed therefrom, the opposite temple portions of the base and frame, respectively 40 and 45, are configured to be in juxtaposition in a lens assembly formed therefrom, forming opposite terminal regions 62 of the lens assembly of the invention (FIG. 4).

[0024] When the set of lens-assembly parts is in operation, a lens is positioned or sandwiched between the base and the frame (FIG. 5). An embodiment of the set of lens-assembly parts further comprises a lens which is dimensioned for use with the base and frame. The lens has a configuration which fits the lens receiving portion 30. The inner side 51 of the frame is engaged with sections of the outer side 67 of the periphery 65 of the lens, namely, respective opposite brow 70, temple 75 and cheek 80, nose 85 sections of the lens periphery 65 and inner side 51 of the frame 25.

[0025] In a version of the set of lens-assembly parts, the opposite temple regions 62 include fasteners 100. When releasably tightened or locked, the fasteners tension the lens receiving portion of the base and the inner surface of the frame against the inner 22 and outer 24 surfaces of the lens periphery 65, which fixes or clamps or otherwise secures the lens between the base and the frame.

[0026] In one set of embodiments, the fastener 100 involves registration openings 90 formed in the terminal sections 45 and 60 of the frame and in the base. A coupler 105 is located in or formed in and about the registered openings. Typically a coupler includes a protruding element 110 and a retention element 115 that engage with each other. Examples of couplers include, but are not limited to, twist lock cams (a cam inserted through a registered opening which fits into a cam channel formed about the other registered opening, i.e. twist lock cams (FIG. 6)); other protruding elements can be selected from bolts, rods, dowels, lugs, pins, rivets, and screws. A retention element is selected for mating engagement with the protruding element. Retention elements are well known to those in the art, and include, without limitation, tightenable collars, annular members for frictional and/or snapping engagement with protrusion elements, and threaded openings. The fastener may also be formed in whole or in part from hook and loop materials positioned on or about the fastener in the terminal regions.

[0027] Preferred versions of the set of lens-assembly parts involve fasteners which the user can easily unfasten. Easy and quick unfastening results in easy, quick, and convenient disassembly of a lens assembly of the invention and removal of the lens for cleaning or replacement, which is advantageous to the user. The base and frame can be easily cleaned and adjusted. In particular, quick and easy disassembly of the lens assembly allows the user to clean the peripheral portions of the lens, the lens receiving area of the base, and the inner surface of the frame. These areas collect solid or liquid debris that tend to corrode, craze, crack or otherwise weaken a lens, frame or base, and which are difficult to access for cleaning in conventional lens assemblies. Additionally, quick and easy disassembly allows replacement of the frame with frames of other shape, size, color, design or ornamental design provided that a replacement frame is structured for registration with the base unit as described herein.

[0028] A fastener may also be comprised of tabs/pins and holes/slots formed on surfaces of the frame and base which will be in juxtaposition for securing a lens between the frame and the base. The tabs/pins and holes/slots are sized and positioned to correspondingly mate into sufficiently tight engagement (snapping engagment) to secure the lens, yet be subject to easy unsnapping by the user. Tabs/pins and holes/slots may be positioned in the terminal region or in the regions of the base and frame which fit over the user's brow, cheeks, nose or any combination of those regions or sections of the base and frame so long as they arranged and sized for snapping engagement and easy unsnapping. Continuous or discrete areas of hook and loop fabrics can be positioned on surfaces of the frame and base which will be in juxtaposition for securing a lens between the frame and the base. Interengagement of the hook and loop surfaces achieves securing of the lens between the frame and the base.

[0029] Another embodiment of the set of lens-assembly parts involves a fastener which is a clamp or sliding clip which fits about the terminal portions of the opposite temple portions of the base and frame. A fastener takes the form of a flexible band which wraps about the opposite temple portions and tighteningly engages, securing the lens between the base and the frame. Hook and loop material disposed on a band provides surfaces on the band for interengagement and tightening. It is preferred that a wrapping fastener is easily untightened.

[0030] Another version of the set of lens assembly parts further comprises a strap 120 (FIGS. 4a, 5 6, 11) which is attached to the terminal regions. The strap is sized for the head of the user and fits the lens assembly to the head.

[0031] It is understood that fastening the frame to the base, which sandwiches the lens into a secure position, is achieved by one or a combination of the above-enumerated structures and devices, and that the invention is not limited to embodiments which do not comprise more than one of the above so enumerated.

[0032] Another embodiment of the set of lens-assembly parts further comprises either a mask 125 (FIG. 8) for engagement with the base, or a base which further comprises a mask section (FIG. 12). The mask section is shaped or configured to cover at least a portion of the face. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the mask section is configured to cover the user's nose, chin, lateral and temple regions of the forehead, and cheeks. The mask is formed from plastic which can have a durometer rating varying from soft to hard, depending the requirements of the user for impact protection. A preferred version of the mask is formed from semi-soft plastic having two durometers, and which are co-molded as one piece.

[0033] Methods of molding plastics are well known in the art. One method of making a mask comprising material having more than one durometer involves using a two-shot injection molding process wherein both the harder and softer materials are sequentially injected in the same mold. Two-shot injection molding processes are known in the art, and thus will not be described in detail. During curing of the rigid plastic and rubbery materials in the two-shot molding process, a chemical bond is formed at the junction of the two materials, thereby permanently bonding the two materials together. This type of molding process provides for ease of manufacture, and further provides a long lasting construction. The manufacture of the set of lens-assembly parts or lens assembly of the invention is not limited to the molding procedure described above.

[0034] The base, frame and lens are advantageously inter-engaged through a series of tabs or pins 130 and slots or holes 135 formed therein, and which are sized and positioned to correspondingly mate into engagement (FIGS. 11 and 12). FIG. 1 discloses a base which contains lens retention slots. FIG. 3 illustrates a frame in which slots 135 and tabs 130 are formed on the periphery. FIG. 2a illustrates a lens in which tabs are formed in the periphery. The tabs and slots of the base, lens, and frame are positioned in registration so that, as shown in FIG. 11, tabs of the lens fit in registered slots of the base and slots of the frame.

[0035]FIG. 11, which is an exploded view of the lens assembly, illustrates registered openings formed in opposite terminal sections of the frame and the base. Inserted through the openings in the terminal region is a twisting locking clip or twisting cam with lock tabs (FIG. 6). The lock tabs fit in a cam chamber 115 formed on the inner surface 116 of the base and located about the opening 90. The lock tabs 97 of the cam protruding through the openings travel in the cam chamber; upon twisting the cam, the fastener locks the lens securely in place between the frame and the base. Merely twisting in another direction unlocks the fastener, releasing the pressure which kept the lens secured between the frame and the base. Unfastening one or both fasteners leads to rapid, easy disassembly of the lens assembly.

[0036]FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate a version of the invention in which the set of lens-assembly parts, and the lens assembly formed therefrom, includes a mask 125 attached to the base. Although the figures illustrate that the mask is attached to the base vis a vis a system of registered tabs/pins 130 and slots/holes 135, the attachment of the mask to base is not limited to the embodiment illustrated here. The mask may be permanently attached to the base, for example without limitation, by adhesives, co-molding, staples, screws. Alternatively, the mask may be clipped, latched or otherwise removably secured with the base.

[0037]FIG. 2 is a side view of a base in which mask-attaching holes and pins are formed and located in registration with mating holes and pins formed in the mask (FIG. 8). FIG. 11 illustrates assembly of the masked version of the invention. The registration holes and pins of the base and mask are aligned and mated, thereby attaching the mask to the base. The lens and frame are assembled by aligning and mating the registration holes and pins of the lens and hard frame. The nose areas of the lens-frame assembly and the base-mask assembly are aligned. The nose pin 53 on the frame is inserted through an aligned nose pin hole 54 on the base, which achieves placement of the lens 20 into the lens-receiving portion 30 of the base. The openings in the opposite terminal sections are aligned, and a turn locking clip is inserted through the frame opening and the aligned base opening. The user twists the locking clip thereby locking the lens between the base and the frame.

[0038]FIG. 11 schematically shows the alignment of the frame, lens, mask, base, twist lock fastener, as well as the strap. The strap is attached to the twist lock fastener (See FIGS. 4a, 5, 6, 10, 11). A strap slot 140 formed in a tab of the twist lock cam retains or attaches the strap to the cam, which when inserted and locked into the openings in terminal regions, achieves attachment of the strap to the lens assembly. In any case, strap receiving elements, such as slots, fingers, frames formed on the base, the frame, base and frame or extending rearward from the lens; clips or clipping mechanisms, hinged clipping mechanisms, buckles, rivets, screws, adhesives) for attaching a strap to the lens assembly are positioned in the terminal regions, and are preferably integral with the fastener, or in some instances, the strap is molded directly into a terminal region.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the base is provided with a series of gutters or concavities 145 which form channels to provide ventilation to the user's face. In the version of the lens assembly which comprises a mask, the mask is preferably provided with a series of holes 146 and channels formed therein for ventilation. A preferred version includes ventilation passages formed in the base which cooperate with ventilation holes formed in the mask to provide air flow 147 over the user's face. FIGS. 11 and 15 depict a lens assembly in which a battery-powered fan is mounted on the central brow or forehead of the base vis a vis fan retention holes 148 in the base, slots 149 for retention tabs in the bottom and side of a housing 151 (FIG. 14) which contains the fan, fan retention clips 150, retention tabs formed on the brow of the base. The side and bottom retention tabs hold the fan housing 151 tight against the back of the forehead area. As the fan housing is slid down between the side tabs, the fan retention clip contacts the top center edge of the base. While inserting the fan housing, the retention clip flexes back and snaps into the retention hole.

[0040] The set of lens assembly parts may further include a layer of material 160 for cushioning and/or absorbing sweat, which is mounted on the inner side of the base. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A set of lens-assembly parts comprising: (a) a base shaped to fit over the eyes having a lens-receiving portion and comprising opposite temple portions: (b) a frame comprising opposite temple portions and shaped for registration with the base unit.
 2. The set of claim 1 comprising a lens for positioning between said base unit and said frame.
 3. The set of claim 2 comprising a strap for attachment to each of said opposite temple portions, said strap sized for fitting said assembly to the head of said user.
 4. The set of claim 1 wherein said base comprises a mask section which is shaped for covering at least a portion of the face.
 5. The set of claim 4 wherein said opposite temple portions comprise fasteners for tensioning said base against said frame for securing a lens between said base and said frame.
 6. The set of claim 5 wherein said fastener comprises: (a) registration openings formed in said frame and said base; (b) engaged protrusion-retention elements positioned in or formed in and about said openings.
 7. The set of claim 6 wherein said protrusion-retention elements are selected from pairs of engagable elements selected from the group consisting of cam, bolts, rods, dowels, lugs, pins, rivets, screws, cam channels threaded opening, annular members sized for frictional and/or snapping engagement, tightenable collars.
 8. The set of claim 5 wherein at least one of said fasteners comprises a clamp which is positioned about said temple portions.
 9. The set of claim 5 wherein said fastener comprises hook and loop fabric.
 10. A lens assembly formed from the set of lens-assembly parts of any of claims 1-9.
 11. A lens assembly comprising: (a) a base shaped to fit over the eyes having a lens-receiving portion and comprising opposite temple portions; (b) a frame comprising opposite temple portions and shaped for registration with the base unit; (c) a lens positioned between said base unit and said frame; (d) fasteners which comprise said opposite temple portions for tensioning said base against said frame for securing said lens between said base and said frame; and (e) a strap attached to each of said opposite temple portions, said strap sized for fitting said assembly to the head of said user;
 12. The lens assembly of claim 11 wherein said fastener comprises: (a) registration openings formed in said frame and said base; (b) engaged protrusion-retention elements positioned in or formed in and about said openings.
 13. The lens assembly of claim 12 wherein said protrusion-retention elements are selected from pairs of engagable elements selected from the group consisting of cam, bolts, rods, dowels, lugs, pins, rivets, screws, cam channels threaded opening, annular members sized for frictional and/or snapping engagement, tightenable collars.
 14. The lens assembly of claim 11 wherein at least one of said fasteners comprises a clamp which is positioned about said temple portions.
 15. A set of lens-assembly parts comprising: (a) a base shaped to fit over the eyes having a lens-receiving portion and comprising opposite temple portions; and (b) a frame comprising opposite temple portions and shaped for registration with the base unit.
 16. The set of claim 15 further comprising one or more lens-assembly parts selected from the group consisting of a lens for positioning between said base unit and said frame; a strap for attachment to each of said opposite temple portions, said strap sized for fitting said assembly to the head of said user; a mask section which is shaped for covering at least a portion of the face; fasteners formed from said opposite temple portions for tensioning said base against said frame for securing a lens between said base and said frame;
 17. The set of claim 16 wherein said fastener comprises: (a) registration openings formed in said frame and said base; (b) engaged protrusion-retention elements positioned in or formed in and about said openings.
 18. The set of claim 17 wherein said protrusion-retention elements are selected from pairs of engagable elements selected from the group consisting of cam, bolts, rods, dowels, lugs, pins, rivets, screws, cam channels threaded opening, annular members sized for frictional and/or snapping engagement, tightenable collars.
 19. The set of claim 16 wherein at least one of said fasteners comprises a clamp which is positioned about said temple portions.
 20. The set of claim 16 wherein said fastener comprises hook and loop fabric.
 21. A lens assembly formed from the set of lens-assembly parts of any of claims 16-20. 